Datejust 31 Yellow Gold / Domed / White - Roman / Oyster

About This Watch

The Rolex Datejust 31, in its 278248-0019 iteration, embodies the quiet authority of a timepiece that has defined elegance for generations. This particular reference, with its yellow gold case and domed sapphire crystal, merges the enduring sophistication of the Datejust collection—introduced in 1945 as a symbol of accessible luxury—with contemporary refinement. The white dial, finished to a smooth gloss, is framed by Roman numerals and slender stick hands, creating a balance between classical restraint and modern precision. The case’s rounded silhouette, paired with the Oyster construction, ensures both aesthetic harmony and the robustness expected of a watch built to endure decades of wear. At its heart lies the Caliber 2236, a self-winding movement developed entirely in-house by Rolex, featuring a Parachrom blue balance spring and a 70-hour power reserve. The sapphire crystal, domed for enhanced clarity and durability, protects a dial that remains uncluttered yet exquisitely detailed, with applied gold indices that catch light without overwhelming the eye. The 31mm diameter and 16mm lug width offer a proportion that feels both intimate and commanding, a testament to Rolex’s mastery of wearable luxury. This watch is for those who value understated distinction—executives, collectors, and connoisseurs who seek a timepiece that transcends trends.

In Context

At 31 mm it is small by current standards, in the range most wristwatches occupied before cases began growing through the 1990s. The case back is closed, so the movement stays out of sight, and the sapphire crystal will resist everything short of deliberate abuse. 100 m is genuine swimming resistance — more than the shape of this watch suggests it would need.

The movement winds itself from the motion of your wrist. 55 hours of reserve is enough to set it down on Friday evening and find it still running on Monday. At 28,800 vph the seconds hand advances 8 times a second.

278248-0019 is one of 26 executions of the 278248 base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a white gloss dial and a yellow gold case.

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold

278248-0003 · 31 mm

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold

278248-0004 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold

278248-0013 · 31 mm

Rolex

Champagne · Yellow Gold

278248-0014 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

278248-0015 · 31 mm

Rolex

White · Yellow Gold

278248-0016 · 31 mm

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold

278248-0017 · 31 mm

Rolex

Green · Yellow Gold

278248-0018 · 31 mm

+ 17 more variants in this family.

The 2236 is the Rolex movement inside more watches in this library than any other: 907, in the 28 mm Lady-Datejust and the 31 mm Datejust 31. It was the first Rolex caliber with a silicon hairspring. Introduced in 2014 in the Pearlmaster 34, it is a 20 mm automatic with a date, 31 jewels, a 55-hour reserve and a beat of 28,800 vph, certified by the COSC and then tested again by Rolex after casing to the Superlative Chronometer tolerance of two seconds a day. Its distinction is the Syloxi hairspring: silicon, immune to magnetism, etched to a patented geometry that keeps the spring concentric in every position, and paired with Paraflex shock absorbers. The larger Rolex calibers kept the Parachrom alloy spring; Syloxi did not reach a men's movement until the 7140 of 2023. The [2236 piece](/blog/the-rolex-2236-the-most-common-movement-in-this-library) sets out that history. In the library it powers 488 [Datejust 31](/brands/rolex/datejust-31) references, the seven-digit 2782xx generation of 2020, 399 [Lady-Datejusts](/brands/rolex/lady-datejust) of the 2791xx generation of 2015, 15 [Pearlmasters](/brands/rolex/pearlmaster) and 5 [Yacht-Master 37s](/brands/rolex/yacht-master). The [2235](/calibers/rolex-2235) is the 48-hour movement it replaced, the [2232](/calibers/rolex-2232) its no-date sibling for the Oyster Perpetual, and the [3235](/calibers/rolex-3235) its counterpart in the 36 mm and 41 mm cases.

906 other watches in the library run the Rolex 2236.

Rolex

Lady-Datejust 28 Rolesor Everose Diamond / Oyster / MOP

279381RBR-0014 · 28 mm

Rolex

Lady-Datejust 28 Rolesor Rose Diamond / Jubilee / MOP

279381rbr-0013 · 28 mm

Rolex

Lady-Datejust 28 Rolesor Yellow Domed / Oyster / MOP

279163-0014 · 28 mm

Rolex

Datejust 31 Stainless Steel / Yellow Gold / Diamond / Black MOP / Oyster

278383RBR-0023 · 31 mm